Bill McBirnie Duo ⁄ Quartet • Mercy

 

Bill McBirnie is an award-winning flutist, based in Toronto, Canada and Mercy is the fourth release on his own independent label, Extreme Flute. The album is divided into two parts with a quartet performing on seven songs, and a duo, featuring McBirnie and pianist Robi Botos, covering five songs. The liner notes indicate the project was recorded over two days in the summer of 2009, with the quartet performing on day one and the duo the following day. The quartet includes Botos, and is rounded out by a solid rhythm section, featuring bassist Pat Collins and drummer John Sumner. The result is technical magnificence.

McBirnie is one of the best living jazz flautists in the world, while Botos is an award-winning pianist, and one of the strongest jazz piano players on the scene. Together they have produced a power-packed album that high lights their virtuosic talents. Technically stunning musicianship is offset by powerful emotions that combine grace and beauty, providing for a bountiful feast of audio delight.

The first two tracks are dedicated to Hubert Laws and Jeremy Steig: Laws' "Baila Cinderella," and Ann Ronell's "Willow Weep For Me," which Steig played on Flute Fever , his 1963 Columbia debut. Laws and Steig have set a high standard for jazz flute and, as McBirnie states, "These are the two musicians who have exerted the greatest influence on me."

The album is a mix of styles: a blend of swing, Latin, bebop and Dixieland. The predominant feel is bebop, with Latin overtones, a genre at which McBirnie excels, while Botos is a master of bop in all its idioms. The balladic duet, "Gentle Rain," with its hint of bossa nova, is a beautiful journey through an enchanted garden of piano and flute, with sumptuous tones that cascade in elegant splendor. Mercy concludes in slow rhapsody with Botos' elegant original, "Mercy."
By Paul J. Youngman
March 13, 2011
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mercy-bill-mcbirnie-self-produced-review-by-paul-j-youngman

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Bill McBirnie es un flautista galardonado con sede en Toronto, Canadá, y Mercy es el cuarto lanzamiento de su propio sello independiente, Extreme Flute. El álbum está dividido en dos partes con un cuarteto interpretando siete canciones y un dúo, con McBirnie y el pianista Robi Botos, interpretando cinco canciones. Las notas del transatlántico indican que el proyecto se grabó durante dos días en el verano de 2009, con el cuarteto actuando el primer día y el dúo al día siguiente. El cuarteto incluye a Botos y se completa con una sólida sección rítmica, con el bajista Pat Collins y el baterista John Sumner. El resultado es la magnificencia técnica.

McBirnie es uno de los mejores flautistas de jazz vivos del mundo, mientras que Botos es un pianista galardonado y uno de los mejores pianistas de jazz de la escena. Juntos han producido un álbum lleno de energía que destaca sus talentos virtuosos. La maestría musical técnicamente deslumbrante se compensa con poderosas emociones que combinan gracia y belleza, lo que brinda un abundante festín de deleite de audio.

Las dos primeras pistas están dedicadas a Hubert Laws y Jeremy Steig: "Baila Cinderella" de Laws y "Willow Weep For Me" de Ann Ronell, que Steig tocó en Flute Fever, su debut en Columbia en 1963. Laws y Steig han establecido un alto estándar para la flauta de jazz y, como afirma McBirnie, "Estos son los dos músicos que han ejercido la mayor influencia sobre mí".

El álbum es una mezcla de estilos: una mezcla de swing, latín, bebop y Dixieland. El sentimiento predominante es el bebop, con tintes latinos, un género en el que destaca McBirnie, mientras que Botos es un maestro del bop en todas sus expresiones. El dúo de baladas, "Gentle Rain", con su toque de bossa nova, es un hermoso viaje a través de un jardín encantado de piano y flauta, con tonos suntuosos que caen en cascada en un esplendor elegante. Mercy concluye en una lenta rapsodia con el elegante original de Botos, "Mercy".
Por Paul J. Youngman
13 de marzo de 2011
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mercy-bill-mcbirnie-self-produced-review-by-paul-j-youngman

Tracks:
1 - Baila Cinderella [Cha Cha Cha]
2 - Willow Weep for Me [Ballad]
3 - Airegin [Bebop]
4 - Stuffy Turkey [Medium Swing]
5 - Gentle Rain [Slow Bossa Nova]
6 - I'm Walkin' [Medium Swing]
7 - Yardbird Suite [Bebop]
8 - Way Down Yonder in New Orleans [Dixieland]
9 - Moment's Notice [Up Swing]
10 - Minha Saudade [Medium Bossa Nova]
11 - Groovin' High [Bebop]
12 - Mercy [Slow Rhapsody]
Bill McBirnie Duo ⁄ Quartet • Mercy


Credits:
Bill McBirnie: flute;
Robi Botos: piano;
Pat Collins: bass;
John Sumner: drums.

Label: CD Baby
Original Release Date: 2009

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